Railroad-torpedo.



w. 0. BE

CKWITH.

A1 0 D TORPEDO.

AP CATI LED SEPT- so. I915.

Patented June 20, 1916.

'INVEN'T'UH Till mull! PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON. D. C.

WALTER C. BEGKVTITH, OF FOSTORIA, OHIO.

RAILROAD-TOBPEDO.

Application filed September 30, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVALTnR C. Bnoxwrrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fostoria, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Railroad-Torpedo; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to railroad torpedoes, and particularly to those of the fiber top type.-

The object of my invention simple and efficient means for attaching rail engaging straps to torpedoes, whereby to simplify and cheapen the manufacture o torpedoes of the character described and to enhance the practicability and commercial value thereof.

The invention is is to provide fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a torpedo embodying my invention attached to a rail. Figs. 2 and 8 are transverse and longitudinal sectional views thereof with the rail engaging strap partly broken away, and Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the under side of a torpedo embodying the invention with the ends, of the rail engaging strap broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the explosive containing case or shell of a torpedo, 2 the explosive contained therein, which explosive is preferably of tablet form, and 3 the rail engaging strap, which is customarily of lead or of an alloy somewhat similar-in its nature to lead. The case 1 is preferably of paper or other suitable fibrous material and has the open ends thereof closed by stitching 4 or in any other suitable manner to retain the. explosive therein. The form and manner of closing the case to retain the explosive therein is, however, not material to the invention.

The means embodying the present invention for attaching the strap 3 to the; torpedo Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Serial No. 53,417.

case comprises a member 5, which is preferably, but not necessarily, placed against the bottom of the case and comprises a narrow strip, preferably of strong fibrous material, which is disposed transversely of the case andhas an opening 6, which, in the present instance, is of elongated form and extends lengthwise of the strip. The strip 5 is preferably substantially equal in length to the width of the case or it may be a little wider than the case if desired. If a single elongated opening 6 is provided in the strip, as in the present instance, such opening is o a length which is less than the width of the case.

In applying a strap 3 to a torpedo, the center thereof is placed against the side of the case opposite to that against which the member 5 is intended to bear, and the ends of the strap are drawn under the torpedo case and threaded through the opening 6 of the member 5 after which they are drawn outward as indicated in Figs. 2 and a, thereby providing the strap at each side of the torpedo case with an inwardly looped or rentrant portion 7, which hooks under the respective edge of the torpedo case. The end walls of the opening 6 in the strap retaining member 5 serve to retain the loops 7 in holding position under the respective edges of the case.

It is evident that the member 5, which ma be made in numerous forms, cooperates with the strap 3 to firmly embrace the torpedo case, and it also serves to retain the strap in proper position on the torpedo. It is also evident that my invention provides an exceedingly simple and efficient means for attaching a rail engaging strap to a torpedo and enables torpedoes and straps to be quickly assembled in an easy and rapid manner withoutthe use of rivets or the like.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts as it is capable of numerous modifications without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a railway torpedo, the combination with an explosive containing case, of a rail engaging strap placed against one si the case and having oppositely reentrant portions which my invention, 7

extend around the respective 11c side edges of the case and embrace the op posite side thereof, and means for retaining said reentrant strap portions in engaging relation to the case.

2. In a railway torpedo, the combination with an explosive containing case, of a member placed against one side of the case and a rail engaging strap placed against the opposite side of the case and having its end of the case, through the respective end porcopies ot thin patent may be obtainedtor tions of the member opening, and thence tion'in contact with the five cents each, by addressing the outward, whereby said member serves to retain the strap in position on the case.

4. In a railway with an explosive containing case, of a narrow strip of fibrous material disposed against one side of said case transversely thereof and being substantially equal in lengthto the width of the case, said memher having provision for the threading of the end portions of a rail engaging strap 'therethrough at points which are disposed within the side edges of the case, and a rail engaging strap having its central porcase at the opposite side thereof to said member and having its ends extended inward in hooked form around the respective edges of the case and thence through said member serving to said member and outward, retain the strap in case engaging position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

I WALTER C. BEGKWITH.

"Commissioner of 'Patentl.

Waihi'ng'ton, II. C."

torpedo, the combination 

